Day 4.325: A pinch and a punch...

At the beginning of the school year, we signed up to go into the girls' school for parent-teacher conferences today.  Then about three weeks ago, we received appointments to visit the Department of Homeland Security to have our fingerprints scanned.  Then a few days ago Exile #4 announced that their class were having a cuddly-toy party this morning to reward them for filling their good-behaviour marble jar.

So it was that we were getting up at 6 am this morning to try to fit everything in.  It might just come together at a pinch.

Our biometric appointments were at 8, 9, 12 and 1 - but following two tip-offs we all turned up at 8 and they were willing to do them all at once.  The only hiccup was that Exile #3 was registered for an employment authorization and I was not, so Exile #2 and Exile #4 had their appointments and left to get to school in time for the party, while we waited for them to check our numbers.  It didn't take long and even after we straightened that out, we were appropriately processed and out just before 9.

That meant that I was dropping Exile #3 off at school just a few minutes late, as the last buses were arriving.  It was just as well she was not late - because if she had been she would have missed the announcement of this:

(I've edited out her fellow stars - not out of any disrespect for their achievements, but out of respect for their privacy!)

I took the picture when I met Exile #2 at lunch-time for the conferences.  It seems the girls are both doing very well (and not just in PE).  Their teachers are happy, but maybe not quite as happy as we are having survived this crazy day intact.  Also, no-one got punched - except very gently in celebration of the date.